Sa. Redhead et Ka. Seifert, Asterophora Ditmar ex Link 1809 versus Nyctalis Fries 1825, and the statusof Ugola Adanson 1763, TAXON, 50(1), 2001, pp. 243-268
The use of two generic names, Asterophora and Nyctalis, for the same fungi
(holomorphs) has been contradictory, and nomenclatural application remains
unresolved after 175 years. Controversy first arose from a lack of understa
nding of the biology of these pleomorphic fungi, but debate now rests upon
the interpretation of the type of Asterophora, either as an anamorph or a t
eleomorph, as influenced by modifications to Article 59 of the Internationa
l Code of Botanical Nomenclature over several decades. The historical recor
d is reviewed and Asterophora is accepted as the holomorphic generic name f
or three species, A. lycoperdoides, A. parasitica, and A. mirabilis. Astero
phora lycoperdoides (Bull.) Ditmar is proposed separately for conservation
over a sanctioned name, Asterophora agaricoides Fr.:Fr, previously largely
ignored. Ugola is the oldest. generic name applicable to the anamorphs. The
following new combinations are proposed: Ugola physaroides (equivalent to
Asterophora physaroides), U, baryana (equivalent to Hypomyces baryanus), an
d Asterophora mirabilis (equivalent to Nyctalis mirabilis).